452 XXXVIII. SAPIKDACE^. 



spiral, the cot_yledons iisiuilly micqual, collateral or superposed ; radicle sliort, 

 turned do-\\iuvards or rcascending towards tlie liilum. — Trees, shrubs, or 

 rarely almost herbaceous, often clhubcrs (especially in genera not Australian). 

 Leaves alternate (or in genera not Australian opposite), usually compound, 

 pinnate with, or more frequently without, a terminal odd one, the leaflets 

 often irregularly alternate, rarely decompound ; 3-foliolate or simple. Plowers 

 usually small. 



^rz/j^/zr/zY^c'^ are abundant within the tropics, both in the New and in the Old "World, more 

 rare in the temperate regions of the northern henus2)here, and those, chiefly of the genera 

 JEsciduSj Acer, and their allies, unrepresented in AnstraHa; there are very few also in 

 southern extratj'opJcal AlViea or America. Of the 16 Australian genera, G small ones are 

 endemic or only extend to Timor, and the most numerous^ Dodonaa^ is nearly so, with the 

 exception of 1 or 2 ubiquitous tropieal species. Five of the genera arc common to flie tro- 

 pical regions of the New and the Old World ; the remaining 4 restricted to tropical Asia or 

 extend only into Africa. 



The majority of Sapindacecs are readily known by the disk outside, not inside the sta- 

 mens, and by the 8 stamens in a 5-merous tlower, with a 3-meronsgynoccium j but all these 

 characters have exceptions, which render the techuical limitations of the Order difhcult, 

 nlthough really doubtful genera are very few. The position of the micropyle appears to be 

 constant, but often dilTicult to observe. The arboreous genera with pinnate leaves, often 

 numerous in species, especially in tropieal Asia, may require considerable modification as to 

 their characters, and probably some reduction, when those proposed by Blumc come to be 

 better known , as well as to flower as fruit. 



Flowers irregular, either 1 petal fewer then the sepals, or the sta- 

 mens or disk nnilatcral, and ovary cxcentrical. 

 One ovule in each cell of the ovary. 



Herbaceous or half-herbaceous climber with bitcrnate leaflets. 



Capsule inflated, membranous 1. Cakdtospkkmum. 



Trees with pinnate leaves. Petids 1 fewer than sepals. 



Calyx valvatcly 5-lobcd. Capsule loculicidally 3-valved . . 2. Diplgglottis. 

 Sepals 5, broadly imbricate. Fruit deeply divided into ob- 

 long indehiscent lobes 3. ElUOGLOSSUM. 



Shrubs or trees, with 1 or 3 digitate leaflets. Sepals 4, 

 broadlv imbricate. Petals 4 or none. Fruit of 1 or 2 in- 



dehiscent lobes 4, ScHiriDELiA. 



Two ovules in each cell of the ovary. " Low shrubs or under- 



shrubs, with entire, lobcd, or pinnatcly dissected leaves , , 5. DinorRi/ris. 

 Flowers regular. Disk annular or none. Stamens all round the 

 ovary. 



One ovule Id each cell of the ovary. Trees or tall shrubs. 

 Leaves pinnate (except Ileterodendron and sometimes in 

 A talaya) . 

 Capsule loculicidally 3-valvcd. 



Sepals distinct, broadly imbricate ,6. Cupania. 



Calyx small, toothed, or the lobes valvate or slightly im- 

 bricate 7. Katonia. 



Fnut separating into winged samaras 8. Atalaya. 



Fruit divided into indehiscent or 2-valvcd lobes or irregularly 

 loculicidalj the valves not separating from the axis. 

 Leaves pinnate. 



Sepals broadly imbricate in 2 rows. Petals usually ex- 



serted. Fruit-lobes smooth, indehiscent . . . '. , 9. Sai'INDUs. 

 Calyx-teeth or lobes valvate or slightly imbricate. Petals 

 very small or none. Fruit-lobes smooth (iu Australia), 

 indehiscent or 2-valvcd 10. Neftielium. 



